Girlfriend is a sweet cat. She likes to be petted, and head rubs are her favorite. She is curious and playful and will pounce on a toy. Other times she likes to find a cozy hiding spot for a nap. She is already spayed and current on vaccinations. For an introduction, stop by the Cat Association of Topeka, 1719 S.W. Gage, call 272-4725 or visit www.topekacat.org.

Although there are 12 fire stations that serve Topeka, Fire Station No. 4 at S.W. 8th and Clay is the only one that still utilizes fire poles to quickly transport firefighters down to the garage where their truck awaits them.

It is a tradition that is becoming a relic, mostly because of safety concerns, but the 12 firefighters at the house are all said to still use the poles.

The main advantage is of course speed.

Lt. Tony Standifer said using a pole instead of the stairs “is way faster.”

A team of volunteers on Sunday was at Gage Park’s Animal Land to remove graffiti that appeared on four of the cement animals.

The group, organized by Jim “The Gypsy” George, began working on restoring the animals two weeks ago. So far, the volunteers have put in about 24 hours of work, power washing and scrubbing the animals in preparation for staining them back to their original colors.

When they showed up about 9 a.m. Sunday to continue the restoration, they discovered new graffiti on the elephant, alligator, walrus and whale.

Teenagers are less likely to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus in Kansas than they are in almost any other state — a fact that needs to change to prevent future health problems, according to a group advocating for public health.

The Kansas Health Foundation will offer up to $2 million in grants to improve access to clean water and encourage Kansans to drink that instead of sweetened beverages.

The grants can be used to advocate for water policies that “improve public health and address inequities;” to improve access to clean water; to collect data on the public health impacts of water; to conduct water planning with an eye toward public health; and to run educational campaigns promoting water as an alternative to pop and other sugary beverages.

WICHITA — A 9-year-old bat boy was hospitalized in critical condition after being hit in the head during a National Baseball Congress World Series game.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the boy was struck by a follow-through swing near the on-deck circle on Saturday afternoon. A spokesman for the National Baseball Congress says the child was wearing a helmet, which is mandatory.

Home-plate umpire Mark Goldfeder, who is a longtime paramedic, treated the boy until an ambulance arrived. The boy was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.